THE ROYAL CHAMBER
Candles and the fire place made the room flicker with a yellow light, yet Queen Guinevere remained cold and still where she was laying on her back.
She was slipping from herself.
Her lips were slightly parted as her breaths left her body.
Her love, her husband, Her Arthur, was forced to watch as her chest shuddered up and down with shallow and rasping breaths.
He stood over her, looking down, his face pale with worry and his chain mail glittering in the dandle light.
Emrys, who stood on the other side of the bed, noticed that the king had kept one hand on the hilt of his sword at his hip.
Gaius stood at the foot of the bed, watching everything carefully and silently.
Elyan was stood by the fire, his arms folded and his face stony.
She was his sister, yet he knew that for all their relationship had healed over the years by him growing from a bad apple into a knight, it was a different kind of love to the one that she bore her husband.
Arthur swallowed and gently squeezed her still palm.
The skin was cold on her hands which rested on the mattress either side of her hips.
Dark rings of blood loss cast shadows beneath her closed eyes.
The king drew in a breath and straightened.
He released her hand with effort and stood upright, lifting his eyes to look across the bed to Emrys and nod his head once.
"Very well."
Emrys inclined his head and drew in a breath, lifting his hands to raise them over Gwen.
"Wait…"
Arthur raised one hand and shifted.
Merlin lowered his hands and glanced at Gaius, who returned the look and before turning to the king.
"my lord?"
"Where is Merlin?"
Gaius straightened, "I…"
"I… he should be here…"
"He said he was going to the tavern." Gaius said.
He couldn't stop himself.
Arthur stared at him and merlin scowled through Emrys's white beard.
Arthur's eyes flickered with fury, "My life, his queen, his dying and he has gone to the tavern?"
"We haven't time to wait for him Sire." Gaius glanced at Emrys.
Arthur folded his arms and straightened, drawing in a long breath.
"Very well."
With one last glance at Gaius, clearly stating that he needed to learn to lie better, Merlin lifted his hands and straightened.
He felt his power fill his heart.
To them all he was Emrys.
He lowered his hands slightly so they hover a couple of inches over her chest, and although his sin is not touching hers, Merlin's eyes flash gold behind his slightly closed eyelids and he feels her heart beat thud against his palms.
Save Gwen.
Arthur straightened and watched with a mixture of a terrified emotion and deep concern.
Emrys's low voice rumbled form his chest as he started to chant, and he felt the pressure of Gwen's heart beat through the space between his palms grow ever stronger.
"Ich Bien froseth, beaty greandry forjas drendra…" He started to mutter and murmur.
His eyes flashed.
A glowing light appeared between his palms and Gwen's chest.
Arthur straightened.
Elyan widened his eyes.
Emrys straightened and his eyes remained slightly closed as the force of the magic that was needed to strip away the infection and injury that was wrapped around Gwen's very soul made his palms quiver.
"Ich Bien froseth, beaty greandry forjas drendra…"
Her heart beat became audible to them all, and the light began to pulse with it.
Emrys furrowed his brow and concentrated harder.
"Ich Bien froseth, beaty greandry forjas drendra…"
Slowly, and under the stern and carful eye of the king, Merlin moved one hand slightly away from her heart, to hover just over her belly.
Save the child. Find the child. Feel it. Keep it safe.
"Ich Bien froseth, beaty greandry forjas drendra…"
The light emerged under his palm again, and Arthur watched as it slowly lowered, as the orb above his wifes heart did, to sink through the pale sin.
"Ich Bien froseth, beaty greandry forjas drendra…"
Upon Emrys's voice it semed to spread through her, wrapping around her heart beat, and the small fluttering sound of the heir apparent's beating organ.
Arthur bit his lips together, his arms tight around himself, as tears filled his eyes.
He would die before he saw either of them hurt or worse.
Emrys felt his palms grow warm and then he lifted them, and the orbs of light were lifted from Gwen.
"Ich Bien froseth, beaty greandry forjas drendra…"
The orbs exploded into thousands of droplets of brilliant life.
They fell through the air and disappeared.
Merlin lowered his hands to his sides.
The warlock's hands quivered in an ancient way, as his heart ached with a worry that it had not worked.
He did not know what to do if it did not.
Everything was still for a moment.
Arthur stared at him with wide and desperate eyes…
His throat closed and eh ached to ask a question…
But then something broke the silence.
As if she had been under water for a long time, Gwen drew in a massive gasp of air and her back arched slightly against the mattress under the expanse of her lungs.
In shock her hands flew out in front of her, looking for something to grab, her wide eyes opened.
Arthur immediately sunk to one knee at the side of the bed and she grabbed him, wrapping her arms around him.
"Arthur… what happened?" She croaked through her frightened teas.
Arthur held her tight, cradling her head against his neck as he pressed his face into her temple.
"You are fine… you are going to be alright…" His voice cracked.
Tears fell down his cheeks.
Elyan sighed and cried in relief.
Tears fell down Merlin's face.
He had done it.
Yet there was a catch in his eyes that Gaius saw.
The old physician straightened and walked around the bed to gently touch Merlin on the shoulder.
"You are going to be alright… you are fine… you and the baby…" Arthur sobbed and pulled back to cup his wife's cheek, where she was leant against his shoulder.
Merlin straightened, "You and the child will be fine, and there shall be no scar on your side."
Her head turned heavily at his ancient voice.
She stared at him in shock, "Arthur…"
"It is fine." He stroked her hair, "He healed you."
She stared at her husband in shock before turning her eyes back on Emrys, "Thank you."
"My pleasure, my queen." Emrys inclined his head.
She stared at him, "have we met?"
He straightened, "No my lady."
"But your eyes…" She whispered.
Arthur stared at her before at Emrys.
The warlock straightened.
Gaius stepped in.
"You need to rest my lady. I shall escort him from the castle sire."
"Of course. I cannot thank you enough." Arthur said firmly, staring at Emrys, "This will not be forgotten."
Merlin inclined his head, "That is all I have ever wanted."
Gaius led Merlin to the door.
It opened when they got there and Tanya entered.
At the sight of Merlin as Emrys she gasped and dropped the washing she held.
Her hands flew to her mouth and she stared up at him.
There was something in her eyes that he barely caught, but Merlin watched as she looked down and stepped out of the way to allow him to pass.
She fought to hide it.
She ducked her head, "I am sorry."
Her soft voice said nothing more as he straightened and walked with Gaius past her.
Over by the bed, Elyan watched as Arthur moved to sit on the very edge of the bed, Gwen at his side.
The king had one arm around the back of her shoulders, resting over the top of the arm that was not pressed against his chest.
Her head was against his shoulder, forehead on his neck, and her hands were folded over Arthur's on her belly.
Arthur sniffed and she smiled tiredly as he bent his neck to kiss her rounded belly.
By the door, and in shattered difference to the other scene in the room, Tanya crouched to pick up the washing.
Emrys.
Tears touched her eyes and her hands shook.
Merlin.